Kiwi Indian poetess-author Dr Sunita Sharma has been relentlessly working toward keeping Hindi literature, especially poetry, alive.
Sharma, who has already written books such as “Ancchue Sparsh”, “Main Gandhari Nahin", and "Jagruti", has recently come up with her fourth publication, Chir Pratikshit.
Her family migrated to New Zealand 21 years ago. She currently works in Early Childhood Education and has been in the education industry for well over 35 years now across India and NZ. She also has a blog called "Sunita Ke Dil Se" (From Sunita's heart), where she regularly posts poetry and a YouTube channel, followed by people worldwide, including those in NZ.
The book, Chir Pratikshit which is a poetry compilation, was recently launched by Indian High Commissioner to NZ, Neeta Bhushan, on the occasion of Vishwa Hindi Diwas (World Hindi Day) (January 10' 2023) in Wellington. However, Sharma was not present at the event.
Here are excerpts from our interview in which she talks about the book, her journey in NZ, the upcoming World Hindi Conference in Fiji and much more.
What subject(s) does the book deal with?
The title of my latest book is Chir Pratikshit which translates to "long-awaited" or "waiting forever". Through my poems, I have challenged the different roles men and women have played in our history, shown appreciation for the unsung heroes who risked their lives during the pandemic, discussed the dark side of social media, reflected on different meanings of life, and even called on societal injustice to name a few. It is inspired by our present, past and future society.
All profits from the sale of the book are being sent to UNICEF.
What languages is the book available in, and where can one buy it?
This book is published in Hindi and is available worldwide on Amazon, Kindle, Flipkart and Kobo. As many of my followers only speak English, I am in discussions with a couple of publishers to publish an English version of both Ancchue Sparsh and Chir Pratikshit.
You have been working a lot to preserve and promote the Hindi language, and why do you think it is essential, especially in NZ?
I always look for ways to promote our Indian languages and culture in NZ. Language is a big part of the culture, and preserving it is essential to maintaining our culture. While embracing our Kiwi culture as we live in NZ is equally important, we shouldn't let go of our heritage. This balance can look different for different people.
The next World Hindi Conference will be held in Nadi, Fiji, from February 15 to February 17, 2023. How do you see this playing a significant role in promoting Hindi?
An event like this is happening in the Pacific Region for the first time, and I feel very privileged to have the opportunity to be a part of it. Fiji, with its diverse Indian heritage, plays an integral role in protecting and promoting Indian languages and culture and therefore is an excellent place to hold this event. It will be a perfect opportunity for both mainstream and international names in Hindi literature to connect, share ideas and collaborate.
Tell us about your contribution to Nirdliya magazine, where you were the special editor of the Pravasi Bhartiya edition.
Nirdaliya, which means Independent, is a magazine published in Delhi. Kailash Aadmi is the editor of this magazine, and I am the Overseas (Pravasi) editor. In January 2023, we published the first Pravasi Bharatiya Special Issue of this magazine which I organised. I connected with 30 migrant writers from different countries, including some from NZ, and created a curated collection of their work for the issue. It was a rewarding experience to collaborate with other authors and writers.
What are your plans for writing?
I am working on a compilation of short stories and a novel. I am also working on a long-time passion project of mine, writing rhymes for younger kids.
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